Heater for grain, &amp;c.



F. A. WEGNER.

' HEATER FOR GRAIN, &c. APPLICATION FILED OCT-29,1910. RENEWED MAR. 2, 191a.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

- members providing UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. WEGNER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

HEATER FOR GRAIN, 8w.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed October 29, 1910, Serial No. 589,690. Renewed March 2, 1916. Serial No. 81,766.

in devices adapted to handle food products,

as cereals, effective as a conditioner heater and drier, exceptionally valuable in preparing wheat for milling.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the invention as a wheat conditioner, some of the tubes being shown in section; Fig. 2 is i a plan view of the controller member, showing a half section of the fixed member with which the controller member coacts to vary size of openings therethrough; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of one of the tubular passage for the material treated; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the actuating disk and locking device for the controller member. Fig." 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of passage provided with a pair of outward bends or curved corrugations to take care of length change in the passage due to temperature variations; and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 in which the curves or bends are inr ward, instead of outward.

The device may be supplied with a temperature controlling medium, as steam, through the duct 1, extending through the non-conducting jacket 2 to the cylindrical drum 3 having the upper header or diaphragm 1 and opposing similar diaphragm 5. Anchored in these diaphragmsand communicating with openings therethrough are the passages or tubular members 6, having therein the heat and air conducting tubular elements 7 with the arms 8 extending therefrom to abut the tubes 6. These under side hollowed out arms 8, as well as elements 7 maybe of a good heat conducting material to insure drying action throughout the passage 6, while the spiral arrangement of the arms still further adds to efiiciency in rendering the way devious to thereby tumble the material treated in its downward travel so that all grains thereof may come in contact With the heat d p r i ns The action upon wheat, as well as some other substances, in this conditioner, tends to expand the kernel in the drawing of'the moisture therefrom, and in this device provision is made for taking care of this action by the space beneath the arms 8 into which the enlarging mass may move to avoid congesting in its continued travel through the downwardly extending tubular member 6. This expansion provision eliminates congesting and packing in the tubes, while the air passage due to the hollowing of the under side of the arms 8 and communication therefrom through the openings 9to the tubular portion of the tubes 7, allows air circulation to conduct heat and moisture up and out of the open ended cross arms 10 which sustain the members or elements 7 on the funnel plate 11 in communication with-the several tubes 6. Similar to the funnel plate 11, is the funnel plate 12. adjacent the controller member at the lower portion of the heater or drier. To complete circulation of the heating medium, the outlet duct 13 is provided in communication with the interior of drum 3 embodying the passages about the members 6 for the steam.

The funnel plate 12 is provided'withpins 14 extending through openings or slots 15 in the controller member 16. This member 16 is a transversely slidable plate having openings movable into and out of registry with the openings in the funnel plate 12. This plate is actuated by the coaction with threaded stem 17 thereon of the disk 18. This disk has openings 19 therein through which a locking pin 20 may be inserted to hold the disk in various adjusted positions and thereby lock the controller 16 to maintain openings of such area as may be determined.

In operation, the incoming material passing through the funnel plate 11 is usually of a temperature widely differing from that of the members 6 surrounded with the steam. Such sudden extremes to which the device is thus subjected works a considerable strain upon the structure, and unless provision is made to care therefor, the contractions and expansions will work the tubes loose from the diaphragms with disastrous results curves or corrugations 22 in the drum 3; by single outward curves 24 in the tubes 6 similar to the pair of curves 21; by grooves or curves 23 in the diaphragms 4, 5; by inward curves 25 in the tubes 6, in which latter instance the curve may operate to sustain the heat dispersing armed element. These bends introduce a yielding feature into the Structure at the several points, one of which may in some instances suffice. The degree and extent of the yielding is such as to relieve the strain from the diaphragms where the tubes 6 are expanded or united thereto. The diaphragms may be gas or electric welded into the drum 3. To preclude entraining of air or moisture under the arms 8, the portions of said arms within the tubular portions of elements 7 have at their upper sides openings 26 therethrough.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. A drier comprising a tubular member and an element therein having heat conducting arms abutting the member, said arms providing expansion spaces therebelow.

2. A drier comprising a downwardly eX- tending tubular member, and a tubular ele ment therein having heat conducting arms abutting the member, said arms providing expansion space on the lower sides thereof.

3. A drier comprising a downwardly eX- tending tubular member, and a tubular element therein having heat conducting arms abutting the member, said arms providing copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the expansion space on the lower sides thereof in communication with the tubular portion of the element.

4. A cereal heater comprising a plurality of parallel tubes, a pair of diaphragms connected by said tubes, a drum connecting the diaphragms and surrounding the tubes to form a heating chamber surrounding the tubes, a platform below the tubes provided with a plurality of annular series of openings to which the tubes deliver, and a transversely slidable member coacting with the platform and having openings therein to move into and out of register with the open ings in the platform uniformly as to each opening.

A cereal heater comprising a plurality of parallel tube members, a pair of diaphragm members spaced by said tube members, a drum member connecting the diaphragm members and surrounding the tube members to form a heating chamber surrounding the tube members, and a bathe in each tube member providing spaced projecting portions over which the cereal may tumble in its travel through the tube mem bers, one of said members being provided with an endless corrugation for expansion take-up.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. VEGNER. Vitnesses C. H. RAUoH, GLADYs JAMESON.

Commissioner of Patents 'Washing'ton, D. 0. 

